Dr. Packo's road to ophthalmology began in childhood. "I've had an interest in medicine ever since I was a little boy." The focus on ophthalmology was also a natural. "I grew up interested in optics. My father was a professional photographer and I have many childhood memories of playing with cameras and working in his darkroom. I learned how important the visual aspect of our life is." After college at Notre Dame University and medical school at St. Louis University, he graduated from the University of Illinois Eye & Ear Infirmary residency program. He completed his fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta and then returned as chief resident of the Eye Service at the University of Illinois before joining Illinois Retina Associates in 1985.

"When I found ophthalmology - a field of medicine that involved vision and the visual senses - it felt like home. My father was very proud." Dr. Packo is an associate professor of ophthalmology at Rush Medical College and director of the Retina Section at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center.

He has earned a reputation in ophthalmology as an innovative thinker. He has developed (and holds patents on) a number of surgical instruments that bear his name. "I go into surgery with the attitude of asking if there's a way to do the technique better. Is there something I can do better for my patient?" Dr. Packo is principle investigator for a number of NIH and NEI research project and clinical studies.

He is also a born teacher. His film, An Intraocular Look at Vitreous Surgery, won first place in the 1990 Surgical Procedures American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Film Festival. He is in great demand as a speaker and often lectures at meetings worldwide.

"My personal strong quality - what I bring to my practice - is again something I learned from my father, who was a real perfectionist. Doing something 'good enough' has never been acceptable. I approach my patients in the same way. If the patient were me or someone in my family, I would want the surgery to be done absolutely right. I have never accepted less."

When not being a doctor...
Dr. Packo has an eye-stopping collection of original movie posters and antique toys - and does stand-up comedy and ventriloquism in his spare time. He and his wife, Maggie, have one son.